Parish Church of San Paolo di Vendaso
A historic place of worship between Fivizzano and the Cerreto Pass
Travelling along the Strada Statale 63 leading from Fivizzano to the Cerreto Pass, you'll find the Parish Church of San Paolo di Vendas that once included the entire northern part of the Rosaro Valley.
The Romanesque-style parish church was mentioned for the first time in 1148 in a papal bull by Eugene III and underwent many reconstructions and renovations. The exterior is made entirely of sandstone and the west-facing facade features a mullioned window and a cross-shaped window positioned a little higher. Inside, it's divided into three naves separated by large columns connected by round arches and each ending in an apse.
The invaluable capitals at the apex of the columns are of particular interest: iconography typical of the Lunigiana parish churches is carved with geometric elements such as intertwining animal figures, plant motifs like the six-petal daisy, human or monstrous faces and enigmatic figures such as the praying person or the two-tailed siren as well as many others.
